Major competitions: Phillipsburg Band Festival and Randolph, New Jersey, Band Festival

Notable: At least half the students in the band start playing in high school. That's because some of the sending districts to Belvidere have no instrumental program, according to Zetterstrom. However, in terms of total percentage of student body participation in a high school music program -- vocal and instrumental -- Belvidere ranks No. 1 in Warren County and No. 17 in New Jersey, Zetterstrom said. "I know it's not about the band only, but it is pretty cool for a small school like ours," he said.